Boy (13) dies after falling from cliff in French Alps

A 13-year-old boy has died after falling from a cliff in the French Alps while his 10-year-old brother survived, authorities say. The local gendarmerie said overnight searches by about 30 police and mountain rescue officers led to discovering the children early on Sunday at the foot of a 150-metre cliff in a forest at the Avoriaz ski resort.

Local media reported the children's father called police on Saturday afternoon after the brothers, who were skiing alone, failed to show up. The younger brother has been taken to the Thonon-les-Bains hospital. Police say his condition is not life-threatening. The children were on a family holiday in Avoriaz, near the border with Switzerland.

British skier

Separately, a British skier has plunged to his death in the French Alps, authorities have confirmed.

A spokesman at the gendarme mountain rescue unit in Grenoble, France, said three skiers had got into trouble after venturing off-piste in the Alpe d'Huez ski resort region of the central French western Alps on Saturday morning.

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The trio went the wrong way, encountered difficulty in the conditions and took off their skis to attempt to climb upwards, mountain rescue spokesman Francois Bepol said.

However, it was “very steep and icy” and two of the three men fell from what he described as a cliff.

A British man was found dead following the fall, he confirmed.

The second skier who fell was injured, but survived. The third was unharmed.

The pair were able to be rescued, Mr Bepol said. He was unable to confirm their ages.

The Foreign Office issued a statement confirming a British person had died in the mountains.

“Following the death of a British National in the French Alps, we are providing consular support to the family,” the statement said.

“We remain in close contact with local authorities. Our thoughts are with the family at this difficult time.”